Irish actor Robert Sheehan (Misfits, Cherrybomb) has had to pull out of the Berlin International Film Festival’s Shooting Star event. The up and coming star has cited conflicts with the shooting schedule for Nick Hamm's new feature ‘Killing Bono’.

The festival’s Shooting Stars programme sees ten young European actors chosen to take part in a networking event whereby they meet with international scouts, producers and casting agents both in social situations and on a one-to-one basis.

Sheehan had been chosen to take part by the programme’s jury who said he was chosen because he is “a classic young Celtic charmer whose personal appeal is driven by his youthful energy and self-confidence.” However, it has transpired that Sheehan is scheduled to shoot Nick Hamm’s ‘Killing Bono’ (previously called ‘I was Bono’s Doppelganger’) throughout January and February of next year and will thus be unable to travel to Berlin for the event.

The European Film Promotion (EFP) state that “Robert's screen career continues to gather momentum and his schedule has quickly filled for the first part of 2010. He will be filming the leading role in the new independent film ‘Killing Bono‘ (also known as ‘I was Bono's Doppelgänger’) directed by Nick Hamm throughout January and February 2010 in Belfast and his shooting schedule unfortunately conflicts with the Shooting Stars event.” They continue with the inclusion of Sheehan’s statement on the topic "I am, of course, hugely disappointed that I will not be able to attend this event," Sheehan said in a letter to Shooting Stars organizers. "I was deeply honored to be selected for this prestigious award and I send my very best wishes to all the other Shooting Stars and the festival."

Sheehan has now been replaced by French actress Anais Demoustier, whose credits include Anna Novion's ‘Grown Ups’ and Michael Haneke’s ‘Time of the Wolf’. The Shooting Stars programme runs from February 13th to 15th as part of the Berlin festival that runs from February 11th to 21st. For more information visit www.efp-online.com